Despite FD Protest, FL Church to Burn Holy Books

GAINESVILLE, FL – A Florida church says it will go ahead with plans to burn copies of the Quran on Sept. 11, despite the city refusing to issue a burn permit, Orlando’s Fox35 TV reports.

The Dove World Outreach Center said early this month that it would burn copies of the Islamic holy text on church grounds to mark the ninth anniversary of the terrorist attacks.

But on Wednesday, the Gainesville Sun reports, Gainesville city officials denied the church a permit, saying the open burning of books is not allowed under the city’s burning ordinance.

Interim Fire Chief Gene Prince says the church will be fined if it goes ahead with its plans, the TV station reports.

Mayor Craig Lowe, who has called Dove World a “tiny fringe group and an embarrassment to our community,” backed the fire department’s decision, the Sun reports.

Now, says Fox35, the church has issued an e-mail that says: “The City of Gainesville denies burn permit — BUT WE WILLSTILLBURNKORANS.”

“Things like 9/11, Fort Hood and the honor killings. … These are possibly not isolated incidents,” Terry Jones, pastor of the center, told MyFoxOrlando.com last week. “These are things that, if we don’t stand up now, they can increase.”